316 VILLA GAEDENING part iv 



50° to 55°, with an advance of 10° in the daytime, from fire-heat. 

 When the sun shines the thermometer may run np to 80°, or even 

 higher with a moist atmosphere. Unless tliere are plants in the 

 house very little ventilation vnW be required until the vines break ; 

 the main object should be to surround the stems and buds of the 

 vines with a moist atmosphere at a genial growing temperature. 

 Sometimes the stems are enclosed in Moss, which is frequently 

 syringed, to keep the vines almost constantly moist ; but though 

 this is useful in some cases it need not be — indeed is not — 

 generally practised. As a rule, most vines yield readily to heat 

 and moisture when steadily continued. I have occasionally, when 

 the buds refused to move quickly enough, increased the night 

 temperature to 60°, or even 65°, and then dropped off again a 

 little when the requisite imjjulse had been given. Once I had 

 a lot of pot vines I wanted to get in early in a low pit, and 

 as they did not move soon enough to my liking, I matted up the 

 pit, and kept the interior warm and moist till the buds started, 

 which was in a very short time, when, of course, the temperature 

 was dropped to its proper condition. Temperature and ventilation 

 are most important matters in Grape forcing. In all things 

 regularity has great value. After growth fairly begins, extremes 

 should be avoided. When the leaves are unfolding the night 

 temperature may be kept as near 60° as circumstances will permit, 

 and though in cold windy weather there may be a little fluctuation, 

 there should be no difficulty in keeping it steadily at 60°, or there- 

 abouts. When the bunches show, the temperature should be 

 increased to 65°, which in the case of Haniburgs and Sweetwaters 

 will be found high enough ; and no harm will happen if the tem- 

 perature falls to 60° in the morning, at which time the lowest 

 point will be reached. It will not be wise to follow any particular 

 rule in the application of moisture. Every person in charge of a 

 vinery should think and observe closely, using his own common 

 sense ; and he will soon come to see that, if he keeps a nice, genial, 

 growing atmosphere in the house, it matters but little when the 

 house is damped down, or if on some days it is not damped at all. 

 Head gardeners lay down a general rule for tlieir young men to 

 follow — that the houses should be damped when they are closed 

 in the afternoon at half-])ast three or four o'clock ; but there is, or 

 should always be, a proviso that on dull sunless days, or if the 

 atmosphere in the house appears pleasantly-genial on entering, 

 there should be only a very slight sprinkle, if any. 



Covering the Borders. — Where the vinery is for Grapes and 

 nothing else, a moist genial atmosphere can easily be created by 

 building up a bed of manure and leaves in the house on the border, 



